Cost to Business

Stress-related illness: its cost to business

One in five Australians has taken time off work in the past 12 months because they felt stressed, anxious, depressed or mentally unhealthy.

Key findings of the 2014–15 Australian Workplace Barometer Project, published 2016 by Safe Work Australia, show:

The cost to Australian business of absenteeism (and presenteeism) due to depression is approximately $8 billion per annum; and $693 million per annum of this is due to job strain and bullying

The total cost of mood affective disorders (depression, anxiety, substance-use disorders and other stress-related illnesses) is up to $10.9billion annually in lost productivity and direct bottom-line costs.(1)

Workers experiencing psychological distress take four times as many sick days per month (compared to those not experiencing psychological distress)

This comes at a cost to employers of an average $6,309 per affected worker per annum

Relative to workers with high engagement (with their role and duties), workers with low engagement have approximately 12% more sick days per month, costing employers $4796 per annum.

Source: www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/bullying; ((1) PricewaterhouseCoopers Australia, Creating a mentally healthy workplace: Return on investment analysis, 2014.)

© 2019 The LITTLE BLUE BOOK OF WORKPLACE MENTAL HEALTH – page 27

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